Injection pressure sensors (IPS) are well known in the automotive industry. Injection pressure sensors are commonly mounted directly to the fuel rail. IPS devices are used to monitor the pressure of the fuel within the fuel rail relative to the manifold pressure to assist in the regulation and control of the fuel injectors.
Performance issues alone, however, should not govern the design of IPS devices. The modern automotive design is not only driven by cost and performance concerns, but by failure considerations as well. Systems within the automobile are often designed such that they will not create excessive cost or collateral damage issues for the consumer if they fail or if the vehicle is involved in a crash.
Since IPS devices are commonly attached to the fuel rail, they have the potential to create cost and collateral damage issues if they are affected during a vehicle accident. An accident that damages or breaks the IPS device has the potential to allow fuel to leak from the fuel rail, where the IPS is attached, into the engine compartment. An IPS design that can sustain impact damage during an accident and yet minimize or prevent fuel from leaking from the fuel rail would be highly desirable.